Rebirth
by Lord Mesron
Summary: Sequel to The Engagement of B & X. A big change for another of our favorite characters.


+ The characters belong to WB (and/or UPN), Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon with the exception of Smitty. He's my creation.  
  
Rebirth  
  
by Scott R. Barnett  
  
It was the middle of July and Xander was stuck in classes. The girls had the summer off, but not Xander. He had decided to take a full course load during the summer semester to help towards his goal of graduating at the same time as the girls. He had been taking classes non-stop since he had started college in May of last year. It wasn't easy but he knew it would be worth it. He was really putting forth his best effort in school and his grades showed it. The girls helped tutor him where he needed help, but he found that he didn't need as much help as he had needed back in high school.  
  
His last class of the day just ended and he was now free to continue his own personal research project. Ever since Oz had come back with that spell to control his wolf side, Xander had been searching for another spell. He had thought that if there was a spell for Oz, why couldn't there be one out there that could help Angel. He had finally started a friendship with the souled vampire and wanted to help him. He also knew that Cordy liked Angel, and if he could help her he would. Though he was no longer in love with Cordelia, he still loved her as a friend.  
  
He had been researching at the college library and on the Internet. He hadn't told anyone else about his project. He didn't want to get anyone's hopes up if he couldn't find it. He felt that he was close though. He had been searching through an old group of books that had recently been bought by the library in an estate sale. He had become friends with the assistant librarian and she had allowed him to get a look at them before they were put into the general reference section.  
  
Today he was looking through an old one written in Latin when he finally found it. There it was right in front of him. It was basically a blessing that once placed on a vampire that had a soul would anchor the soul into place and kick out the demon. Thus the subject would become human once more. The interesting thing about it was that the subject would keep some of the traits of the vampire, in particular the strength and stamina. Other than that though, the subject would now be human once again. He quickly made arrangements with the librarian to borrow the book for a few days. He told her that he needed it to do some additional research for a paper that he was writing.  
  
He put the book into his backpack and left the library. He found his jeep in the parking lot and drove back to his place. He had moved out of the apartment that he originally rented and was now renting an old house just down the block. He was splitting the rent with Buffy, Willow, Tara, Oz and Amy. They had pooled their money to rent this place. It was plenty big for the six of them.  
  
He pulled up at the house at about 6 o'clock. They knew he would be late getting back. He had told them that he would be going to the library after class.  
  
He walked into the house and was bombarded with some delicious smells from the kitchen. That must mean that Tara was cooking. She was the best cook of all of them. When it was her turn to cook she usually went all out with it. There were times when people wondered why she didn't become a chef, rather than a doctor.  
  
He also heard some music from the living room. He figured that it was Oz in there practicing his guitar. He walked into the living room and found the whole group sitting there listening to Oz play. He sat down next to Buffy and gave her a quick kiss. After Oz finished his song Tara got up and went back to the kitchen. A few minutes later she called dinner.  
  
They all went in and sat down. They were having veal Marsala tonight with angel hair pasta. There was also a big Caesar salad.  
  
"Thanks for the song Oz. The timing was perfect." said Tara.  
  
"No problem." said Oz.  
  
"What's that all about?" asked Xander.  
  
"The timer broke and Oz played me a song that was the perfect amount of time that the veal needed to cook." said a smiling Tara.  
  
"Ah. You might want to pick up a new timer tomorrow though. Just in case Oz isn't here one night." laughed Xander.  
  
After dinner they all retired to the living room to relax. Xander grabbed his backpack and took the book out of it.  
  
"Hey Willow, can you take a look at something for me? I want your opinion on whether it would be possible or not." asked Xander. He turned the book to the right page and handed it to her.  
  
"Sure, no problem." She looked at it for a few minutes and then asked Amy and Tara to also look at it. While they were looking at it she looked back at Xander with a shocked face.  
  
"Is this for whom I think it's for?"  
  
"Yep. I've been looking for it for a couple of months."  
  
"What are you talking about honey?" asked Buffy.  
  
"Well, ever since Oz here came back with that spell for his wolf problem I had been thinking about another friend with a problem. I've been spending some of my spare time trying to find an answer to it. I finally found it today."  
  
"Who?" asked Oz.  
  
"Angel." said Xander.  
  
"What did you find?" asked a slightly shocked Buffy.  
  
"Well if the spell works like I think it will it will transform a souled vampire back into a human. The demon will be gone, but he will retain the strength and stamina that he had as a vampire."  
  
"Wow!" said Buffy.  
  
"So, do you think it will work?" asked Xander.  
  
"We think so, but we would like Giles to look at it first." said Willow.  
  
Xander had called Giles and asked him if he could stop by. He said that he would be there shortly. He arrived about fifteen minutes later.  
  
"What can I do for you Xander?"  
  
"Please take a look at this spell and tell me what you think. I have been researching it as a possible cure for Angel."  
  
Giles sat down and looked it over for a few minutes while everyone waited. He then sat back and took off his glasses. He started cleaning them like he usually did when he was thinking through something.  
  
"I believe that it will work. Where did you find this?"  
  
"It was part of an estate sale that the college library bought. I know the assistant librarian and she let me borrow the book."  
  
"Why don't we invite Angel and Cordy to come over tomorrow and we can discuss it with him?" asked Buffy.  
  
Everyone agreed to this. Giles said that he would come back tomorrow. After he left the rest of the group started heading for bed.  
  
In their bedroom Xander turned to Buffy.  
  
"How do you feel about this Buffy? I know that you still love him in a way. Just like I still love Cordy. I'm just not in love with her anymore. It's you whom I'm in love with."  
  
"I know. I'm in love with you too. Yes, I still do love Angel, but just like you and Cordy I'm not in love with him anymore. We parted ways a couple of years ago. Yes, one of the reasons was due to his curse, but we have both moved on. I love you Xander Harris and I plan to spend the rest of my life with you."  
  
With that declaration she sat down in his lap and they kissed passionately.  
  
The next evening around nine o'clock their doorbell rang. The whole group was there waiting for there guests. Giles had arrived about an hour ago with Joyce and Dawn. They had wanted to come as well when they heard about the spell.  
  
Willow got up and answered the door. It was Angel and Cordelia. She invited them in and led them into the living room. Xander got up and welcomed them both.  
  
"Thank you for coming. I believe that I have something that you'll both find very interesting."  
  
With that he handed the spell book over to Angel. Angel and Cordelia looked at it. After a couple of minutes Angel looked back at Xander.  
  
"Is this what I think it is?" asked Angel nervously.  
  
"Yep. I found it as part of an estate sale that the college library had bought. I've been looking for it ever since we did that spell for Oz a few months ago. You're both my friends I wanted to see if I could find something that would help you guys out." said Xander.  
  
"I don't know what to say Xander, but thank you. This is got to be the best present that you could ever give me. I know that we used to be rivals, but now I am proud to call you my friend." said Angel.  
  
Cordelia didn't say anything. She just got up from where she was sitting and gave Xander a big hug and a kiss. Xander just hugged her back.  
  
"You're welcome to both of you. You know that I used to love you Cordy and I still love you as a close friend. I just wanted you both to be happy." said Xander.  
  
The whole group went down to the basement where the girls had setup part of it as a witchcraft workshop. Other parts were used as a music studio for Oz and Amy and as a workout area with gym equipment and mats.  
  
Giles worked with Willow, Tara and Amy in setting up the spell. It was agreed that he would take the lead in casting it, as it was rather complicated. He directed Amy to draw the containment circle while he had Tara and Willow mix up the ingredients.  
  
They finally finished their preparation. Giles turned to the group.  
  
"Ok. We're ready to cast the spell. Angel, please stand in the circle. Once in the circle do not cross back over the line until one of us breaks it from this side. The rest of you please stand back and keep quiet. You may see something that will startle you, but it is very important that we not be interrupted while casting this spell. Are you ready Angel?"  
  
"Yes." he said slightly nervously. He gave Cordy a quick kiss and then resolutely walked into the circle.  
  
The four of them stood on each side of him and started chanting their parts. Giles lit a match and set the ingredients in the small cauldron ablaze. He continued chanting the whole time. After about five minutes a thick black cloud appeared in the circle, completely hiding Angel from view. They then heard a soul-wrenching scream from the circle. A moment later the cloud turned to a pure white color and then dissipated all together. After it vanished they saw that angel was now lying on the ground. The four witches finished their chanting and stepped back.  
  
Everyone held their breath while they waited for Angel to get up. He soon stood up and looked at himself. What everyone saw was that his skin looked more natural and his eyes were not glowing.  
  
Giles walked up to the circle. "Angel, please look at me."  
  
Angel turned around and was confronted with the large cross that Giles was holding. He didn't back away from it. Then Willow stepped forward and threw some holy water onto him. It didn't burn. Giles then broke the circle and asked Angel to hold the cross. Angel took it and just held it with no burning happening. Giles then held his hand to Angel's neck and found a normal human pulse. He then turned to the rest of the group and smiled.  
  
"It appears that it worked." said Giles.  
  
Angel walked out of the circle and Cordy ran into his arms and they kissed. He then turned around and thanked Giles and the three witches profusely for what they did for him. After that everyone came forward and congratulated him.  
  
Xander came forward and shook his hand. "Welcome to humanity, once again."  
  
"Thank you for your gift, Xander. I will be forever grateful to you for this." said Angel.  
  
"Just love and take care of Cordy, and continue the good fight. That's all the thanks that I need."  
  
Angel just looked at him for a few seconds. "You really have changed since your high school days. I believe that the change has definitely been for the better."  
  
They then walked back upstairs to the living room and talked for a while longer before their guests started to leave for the night.  
  
END 


End file.
